Many authors waste valuable time and energy sending out hundreds of query letters and book proposals that don't generate a positive response, or, in many cases, any response at all. This is because most agents and publishers receive hundreds of queries and proposals a month. As a result, in the interests of efficiency, they either ignore unsolicited queries that they're not immediately interested in, or they respond with a polite, boilerplate, "not at this time" message.

Authors can increase their chances of success, however, by researching existing books in their field and targeting their query letters and book proposals to agents and editors who have previously been involved in similar projects.

Here are some of the ways authors can increase their chances of success and reduce the time it takes attracting a positive response.

Research published books

The staring point is to examine the Acknowledgments page of published books in your field, looking for the name of the author's agent or the name of the acquisitions editor who signed the book. This information frequently appears at the end of the Acknowledgments.

Armed with the name of the agent or acquisitions editor, it becomes relatively easy to locate the publisher online, where there's usually detailed contact information or a form to fill out. Another alternative is to pick up the phone and call the agent or acquisitions editor, in order to ascertain their possible interest in a similar book

Contact published authors

An even-better alternative is to contact published authors in your field and ask them for their recommendations and, possibly, a referral to their agent or acquisitions editor. A query letter or book proposal that follows a referral from a successful author carries more weight than an unsolicited query from an unknown e-mail address.

Be sure to ask the author, "Were there any other publishers interested in your book proposal?" If there were, the publisher may still be interested in acquiring a book on a similar topic.

The benefits of contacting existing authors in your field extend beyond agent and editor referrals. Most authors enjoy talking about their books, and hearing about new ideas in their field. Your initial e-mail or telephone communications may open the door to creating lasting relationships, resulting in pre-publication quotes on the cover of your book, speaking opportunities, and future opportunities to collaborate on projects.

Publisher specialization

While researching existing books, be sure to create a list of publishers who are active in the field. Publishers often specialize in narrow market niches. By knowing which publishers are interested in your book, and identifying the names of the editors who were involved in previous projects, you can progress much further.

When all else fails, consider calling the publisher and candidly describing the information you're looking for to the switchboard operator. Ask for their help. Ask them to refer you to individuals who are responsible for books in your field.

If the original acquisitions editor is no longer at the publisher, find out who has replaced them, and contact them. Or, refer back to the Acknowledgments page, and find out the names of the other editors who were involved in the previous book. If you can locate any of the original editors, they can likely provide you with updated information about the current acquisitions staff. 

Research and relationships

If the above sounds a lot like detective work, you're right; it is! Publishing success is often based on referrals and relationships, not by the care you take writing the perfect query letter or book proposal.

In today's busy and competitive environment, it is essential that you target your queries and book proposals to cut through the clutter and attract immediate attention. By cultivating referrals and targeting your queries and proposals to correct specific individuals, you can save time and increase your chances of success.